filled with expandable blood vessels, and
in a state of tumescence they are greatly enlarged by a flow of
blood into the parts. The clitoris, in this condition, undergoes an
enlargement, or "erection," which is exactly like that of the glans
penis. So much as to the physiology of this part of the female sex
organs, all of which should be well understood by every bride and
bridegroom, though often it is not.

Now, in its virgin state, the vulva has another part, not yet named,
and this is the hymen, or "maiden-head" as it is commonly known. This
is a membrane that grows across the forward, or upper part of the
vaginal opening, and so _closes up_ nearly all that part of the
vulva. This hymen is not always present, however, even in a state of
undoubted virginity. Sometimes it is torn away in childhood by the
little girl's fingers, as she "plays with herself." Sometimes it
is ruptured by lifting, again it is broken away by the use of a
large-sized female syringe. _For all these reasons, it is not right to
conclude that a bride is not a virgin because the hymen is not present
and in evidence at the first coition._

Now many young husbands, and some young wives, are wholly ignorant of
the _existence_ of the hymen, and of the troubles it may cause at the
second part of the sexual act, in a first meeting. This membrane is
often quite tough and strong. It is grown fast to the lower part of
the clitoris and to the inside surfaces of the smaller lips, and
it covers so much of the vaginal opening that it is practically
impossible for the erect penis to enter the vagina so long as it
is present. Now if, under these conditions, the bride and groom
(especially the latter) are ignorant of the real construction of the
parts, and so should try to make a union of the organs, they would
find such union obstructed, if not impossible; and if the man,
puzzled, and impatient, and passion-driven, should _force_ a hasty
entrance into the vagina, rupturing the hymen ruthlessly, he would
hurt the woman cruelly, probably cause her to _bleed_ freely from the
wounded parts, and shock her seriously! All of which would be a score
against the husband, would brand him as a brute, or a bungler, and so
tend to make his "sun-aimed arrow alight in the mud."

The thing to do here, is, first of all, to know the situation and to
talk it over, and carefully, delicately, do the best that can be done
about it. If the conditions are fully understood by the bride